Sharing of information with microblogging

Duration

02/2010 - 12/2013

Funding

ScienceCampus Tuebingen

Description

Microblogging systems are typical Web 2.0 applications in which users write, read, and share short messages. The most popular one of these systems is Twitter. Microblogging systems are not only social networks because of the many relationships among the users but they are also real-time news media. Thus, users have to deal with an increasing amount of incoming information (e.g. news), they can perceive, process, and share with others. The quick and easy way to disseminate information in microblogging is regarded as one of its central features. However, regarding the increasing amount of information, information dissemination requires some selection by the users.

This project brings together theories and findings of communication science and psychology and analyzes (1), which content criteria influence the users’ selection decision for disseminating information. For that, approaches of news selection are employed. This project investigates (2), which environmental criteria influence the users’ selection decision. For this, principles of awareness and social navigation are going to be applied and tested.